Excavating apparatus



' Feb. 7, 1939."

i R. s, WEIMER 'EXCAVATING APPARATUS Fil ed May 28, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet1 jzde/zzvf [Egg 020114? 5. n'iiizei PATENT OFFICE EXOAVATING APPARATUSRaymond Samuel Weimer, Morris, Ill.

Application May 28, 1937, Serial No. 145,188

8 Claims.

Thisinvention relates to improvements in ex- I cavating apparatus.

5 ,;An object of the invention is to provide drag line apparatusprovided with a bucket or scoop l" f which normally tilts rearwardly indischarging the load, but which, after dumping, can be rotated forwardlyto a position wherein the cutting I "up or the teeth point downwardly,thus enabling f thelbucket to be lowered rapidly or dropped to lotcause.the teeth to penetrate the soil to expedite thesubsequent-loading of thebucket. The dropping oflthe, bucket with the teeth pointingdownwardlynot only facilitates the taking on of the subsequent load,where the soil is readily pene- 5 trable, but it breaks or chops upthematerial bemg excavated if it-is hard. In excavating wet clayey materialor clinging material, drag buck-' ,ets frequently do not clear readily.Withthe present improvements the bucket can be rotated from'the loadidischarging position. wherein the teeth point upwardly, to apositionwherein the I teeth. point downwardly,,and such movement can be soeffected that the rear end'of the bucket will strike the hoistchainssharply, thus jarring the w'ibucket sumciently to free it ofclinging. portions of its previous load.

1 {A further object of the invention is to provide drag .line equipment.provided with stabilizing means which are attached to and cooperate withboth the drag line and the hoist line,'whereby ten- 'sionapplied-toonewill in part be applied to the ,*lowings'pecificationand accompanyingdrawings a lFlgfllis abroken side elevation. of excavating apparatusembodying the present improvements and showing the bucket in variouspositions which it;ma'y assume during. a cycle of loading, andelevat'ing operations;

..F1g; Zisasi'de'. elevation somewhat enlarged,

illustrating the improved bucket and the associated lines or rigging.in. load-discharging 'position;- h H is-a top plan view of the bucketand rigj: Bing connected'thereto'; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevation thereof. I

In the drawings, l0 indicates generally a machine of the type generallyused for operatingv drag line equipment and comprises cable windingmeans II, a fairlead or set of sheaves I2 over which certain of thecables of the drag line equipment pass, and a support boom 53 providedwith a sheave M at its outer end. The improved bucket is indicatedgenerally by the numeral l5 and, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, isprovided with outwardly flaring side walls It, a rearwardly flaring rearwall I1, and an excavating lip in the form of teeth l8 at the forwardedge of the bottom IS. The forward ends I611 of the side walls Itpreferably extend forwardly of the teeth l8 as shown in Figs. 2 to 4,inclusive. These ends ltd are deflected inwardly somewhat from the planeof the I respective side walls, as shown in Fig. 3. The rigging or linesfor supporting and operating the bucket comprise a conventional hoistline 20 and a drag line 2|. The hoist line 20 passes around a sheave 22to which is attached hoist chains 23 Which are to be construed as aportion of the hoist line. The chains 23, as shown in Figs. 3,- arepivotally attached to the inside of the bucket at points 24. The chains23 may be provided with a spreader bar 25, as shown in Fig. 3, abovewhich bar the ends of the chains are attached to the sheave structure22. The pivotal axis of the bucket, which is determined by the points24, is forwardly of and below the center of gravity of the loadedbucket, and preferably of the empty bucket. The center of gravity of theloaded bucket is assumed to be at the point marked C. G. in Fig. 1. Itwill be seen, therefore, that the loaded bucket will have a tendency totilt rearwardly to discharge the load over the rear wall IT. Thistilting action of the bucket normally is restrained, however, by tensionapplied on the drag line 2|, the drag line in the embodiment shown inthe drawings being divided to form branches 2| a whichare attached tothe forward ends I 6a of the side walls of the bucket at pointspreferably above the pivotal axis 24. It will therefore be seen that byexerting tension on the drag line by the windlass of the machine, aloaded bucket may be restrained from tilting rearwardly until the booml3 has been swung over the dumping place, whereupon releasing thetension on the drag line will permit the bucket to swing to the positionshown in Fig. 2 and discharge the load. Discharging the load over therear wall results in discharging the load away from the machine, thusadding to the effective length of the boom.

Itwill be seen that should excess tension be applied to the drag line 2|while the loaded bucket is in elevated position, the center of gravityof the loaded bucket might be swung counterclockwise from the positionshown in full lines in Fig. 1 to a point at the left of a plane passingthrough the pivotal axis 2 3 of the bucket, whereupon the bucket wouldtend to tilt forwardly to discharge the load. To prevent the forwardtilting of the bucket by the inadvertent application of excess tensionon the drag line, stabilizing lines 26 are provided which extend fromthe drag line branches 2m at points shortly forward of the ends Mia. tothe branches 23 of the hoist line, It will be seen that applying tensionto the drag line 2| to resist rearward tilting of the bucket beyondload-sustaining position will apply tension to the stabilizing lines 26and that when the lines 26 are taut, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1,additional tension applied to the line 2| will merely swing the bucketl5 farther inwardly under the boom and will not tilt it forwardly or ina counter-clockwise direction and thus result in losing the load. Thestabilizing lines 26, therefore, guard against undesirable forwardtilting of a loaded bucket and inadvertent loss of the load.

When the bucket has been loaded, elevated, and swung over the dumpingplace, tension on the drag line 2! is released, whereupon the buckettilts rearwardly from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1 to theposition shown in Fig. 2, in which position the center of gravity of thebucket lies substantially in vertical alignment with the line 23.

To return the bucket to excavating position, tension is again applied tothe drag line 2!, and as will be seen in Fig. 2, such tension willrotate the bucket counter-clockwise about its axis 24. The empty bucket,having considerable mass, will continue to rotate counter-clockwiseafter the tension on the drag line is released as the bucket reaches orapproaches horizontal position and will swing, if the momentum issufficient, until the center of gravity of the bucket, which may be apoint substantially the same as the point t C. G. of Fig. 1, has passedto the left handside of the vertical plane passing through the bucketaxis, whereupon the bucket will gravitate to a position corresponding tothe dotted line position indicated at A in Fig. 1. In this position ofthe bucket, it will be seen that the teeth are directed downwardly.

As the bucket swings to the position A of Fig. 1, the rear wall of thebucket will strike the chains 23, thus jarring the bucket and dislodgingmaterial which may have clung to the bucket from the previous load.Inversion of the bucket, therefore, preferably is performed while thesame is over the dumping point.

When the bucket has been inverted, as described, and the boom swung backto the excavating position of Fig. l, the bucket may, by releasing thehoist line, be lowered rapidly or dropped from position A to position13, wherein the teeth have penetrated. the soil, thus placing the bucketin position for rapid filling as it is drawn toward the machine. In casethe soil is hard or stoney or frozen, the teeth will tend to chop orbreak up the surface, as will be clear.

Position C shows the bucket in substantially loaded position and readyto be elevated from the soil. To accomplish this without tilting thebucket forwardly and losing the load or a portion thereof, tension ismaintained on the drag line 2| and applied on the hoist line '20. 'Theapplication of tension on the hoist line tightens the stabilizing lines26, which as previously stated are attached to the drag line shortlyahead of the forward end of the bucket thereby exerting a verticalcomponent on the forward end of the bucket in much the same manner asthough the forward ends of the stabilizing lines were attached to theforward end of the bucket itself, as illustrated in my Patent No.2,096,773. This action tends to lift the forward end of the bucket asthe excavating stroke is completed and prevents forward tilting of thebucket due to resistance offered to the teeth as they are lifted fromthe soil.

I In Fig. 4, the branches Zia are shown as being deflected slightly froma straight line due to the force exerted thereon by the tension appliedto the stabilizing lines 26. "The closer the forward ends of thestabilizing lines'are attached to the adjacent ends of the branches 2|a, the less will be the deflection of the latter, and consequently theelevating action of the forward end of the bucket to free it from thesoil will .more closely resemble the action which would take place werethe stabilizing lines attached directly to the forward ends of thebucket side walls. The points of attachment of the stabilizing lines tothe branches 2| a are as close to the ends of the bucket as feasible, itbeing understood that the combined length of a stabilizing line and thecorresponding portion Zlb of the drag line should be such as to enablethe bucket to swing forwardly to position A when the drag line isreleased after effecting'the forward tilting action above described.

Position D illustrates the bucket elevated slightly from the ground andready to be raised progressively through position E to the full lineposition beneath the end of the boom. In elevating the bucket, the dragline is paid out as the hoist line is taken in, thus maintainingconstant I tension on the drag line and stabilizing lines to prevent thebucket from tilting rearwardly, it

being noted that the center of gravity is to the rear of the verticalplane passing through the pivotal axis or points 24 of the bucket.

When elevated to the full line position show the boom is swung todischarging position and the drag line 2| is then released, whereuponthe bucket tilts rearwardly to the position shown in.

Fig. 2 to discharge the load at the dumping place. As pointed out above,the stabilizing lines prevent forward tilting of the bucket by the,

bodiment of my improvements, it will be apparent that various changes indetail may be made therein without departing from the scope of theinvention as defined claims.

I claim: V 1. Excavating apparatus comprising a hoist line, a bucketpivotally attached thereto on an axis below and forwardly of thecenterof gravity of a normal load whereby the bucket tends to swingrearwardly to load-discharging position, a drag line attached to theforward end of by the appended the bucket and arranged to restrainrearward tilting action'thereof, and means connected to 45 V means, abucket pivotally secured to said means .onan axis below and forwardly ofthe center bucket and to said hoist line at an elevation above thepivotal axis of the bucket for restraintends to tilt rearwardly topendent position to.

Y discharge the load, and means attached to the forward end of thebucket and adapted to swing the bucket forward about its axis from'load-' discharging position until the center of gravity 15.

of the bucket passes forwardly of a vertical plane through thebucketaxis whereby the bucket can swingiaxlally to the opposite pendentposition. 3. Excavating apparatus comprising a hoist means, a drag line,a bucket pivotally attached at the forward end to said drag line and tosaid hoist means on an axis below and forwardly of thejcenter of gravityof a normal load whereby the bucket tends to tilt rearwardly toload-discharging position, and flexible stabilizing means connectedto-both said hoist and drag means and of a length to transmit tensionfrom the hoist mea'ns to the drag line for effecting the Y elevation ofthe forward end of the bucket at the final stage of a bucket-loadingoperation and arranged to restrict the forward tilting action of thebucket beyond load-carrying position by ;said drag line during elevationand transportation of the loaded bucket to load-discharging a position.

4. Excavating apparatus comprising a hoist means, abucket pivotallysecured to said means I on: an axis below and forwardly of the center ofgravity of a normal load whereby the bucket tends to tilt rearwardly toload-discharging position, and drag means attached to the forward end ofthe bucket on an axis whereby tension on said drag means restrains thebucket from tilt- 'ing rearwardly during elevation and transportation ofthe load and whereby the bucket can be inverted from theload-dischargingposition.

1 5. Excavating apparatus comprising a hoist 'of gravity of a normalload whereby the bucket tion, a drag line attached to the forward end ofthebucket, and a stabilizing line attached to both said drag line andsaid hoist means for limiting forward tilting action of the bucket byforce exerted thereon by said drag line.

6. Excavating apparatus comprising a hoist line, a drag line, a bucketpivotally attached to said hoist and drag lines, the point of attachmentof said hoist line to said bucket being forwardly and below the centerof gravity of the .bucket when loaded whereby the bucket tends an axiswhereby the bucket when loaded tends to tilt rearwardly to pendentposition with said rear wall lowermost for discharging the load oversaid rear wall, and a drag line attached to the forward end of thebucket and manipulatable to swing the empty bucket from load-dischargingposition to a position where said excavating lip is directed downwardly.

8. In excavating apparatus, the combination of a bucket having'a bottomand flaring side and rear walls, a drag line pivotally attached to aforward portion of the bucket, and a hoist line pivotally attached tothe interior of the bucket, the relation of the pivotal axes being suchthat upon release of tension on the drag line the loaded bucket tends totilt rearwardly to a position wherein the forward end of the bottom ofthe bucket engages said hoist line and discharges the load over saidrear wall and whereby by the application of tension on the drag linesaid bucket can be tilted in the opposite direction from said loaddischarging position to a position wherein the bucket will swingforwardly by gravity until restrained by engagement of said rear wallwith said hoist line.

RAYMOND S. WEIMER.

